Dubai assassination suspects had Australian passports

Suspect: Dubai authorities say this man was travelling on an Australian passport in the name of Adam Korman

Ho New: Reuters

Police in Dubai say some of the new suspects identified in the assassination of a senior Hamas member last month were travelling on Australian passports.

Dubai authorities have now identified 26 people suspected of involvement in the assassination of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

Of the 15 new suspects, most had European passports, but three of them were apparently travelling on Australian passports in the names of Adam Korman, Joshua Daniel Bruce and Nicole Sandra McCabe.

Mr Korman, 34, is Australian-born but lives in Tel Aviv, where he sells musical instruments.

In an interview with Israeli media he has denied any involvement and says he is the victim of identity theft.

AM tried to contact him, along with a Bruce Daniel who lives near Haifa in Israel's north, but neither was answering the phone.

But Mr Korman has told Israel's biggest newspaper Yediot Aharonot he is shocked over what has happened.

"It's identity theft, simply unbelievable," he is quoted as saying.

"It's a violation of human rights to do such a thing. I have travelled all over the world but never visited Dubai or the United Arab Emirates."

Mr Korman also told the paper he was perplexed as to how he could ever fly to Australia again, now that he is considered an international suspect.

"I have been frightened and shocked since receiving the news," he reportedly said.

AM has confirmed that Australian Nicole Sandra McCabe also lives in Israel.

When contacted this morning, her family in Australia said they had no knowledge of her name being linked to the Dubai investigation.

A DFAT spokesman in Canberra says Dubai has informed Australia of the latest developments and Australian officials are cooperating with the police investigation.

Killed in hotel room

Mabhouh, a Hamas military commander, was killed last month in his hotel room in what Dubai police have said they are almost certain was an Israeli hit.

Dubai police have released new information about the movements of the 26 suspects before and after the assassination.

All had apparently travelled to Dubai from one of six European cities or Hong Kong and each left the country to various destinations, including Hong Kong and Iran, before making their way back to Europe, where they apparently abandoned the fraudulent passports.

Many had also used credit cards issued by the same US bank.

Police also released new vision from the hotel's security cameras showing the man named as Mr Daniel with one of the French suspects inside the hotel.

Of the new suspects six carried British passports, three held Irish documents, three Australian and three French, the Dubai government's media office said in an emailed statement.

Dubai authorities last week released the identities of 11 people whom they said travelled on fraudulent British, Irish, French and German passports to kill Mabhouh. Two Palestinians suspected of providing logistical support were in custody.

"Friendly nations who have been assisting in this investigation have indicated to the police in Dubai that the passports were issued in an illegal and fraudulent manner," the statement said.

The use of passports from European Union countries by the killers has drawn censure from the bloc.

Dubai has accused Israel of being behind the assassination, but the Israeli foreign minister has said there was no proof his country carried out the killing.